Artwork
Five ballet dancers
Five ballet dancers is a print by Paul Seguin-Bertault. It dates from 1950 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This print presents a series of five ballet figures arranged around a central image.
About this work
Overview
This print presents a series of five ballet figures arranged around a central image. The middle panel shows a half‑length view of a dancer’s back, while the four surrounding panels depict full‑length poses. The composition functions as a study of movement, capturing a range of gestures in a compact format.
Subject & Meaning
The work can be read as either five separate dancers or a single performer rendered in five distinct costumes and positions. Each pose isolates a particular gesture—leaps, spins, or stretches—allowing the viewer to focus on the dynamics of ballet without narrative distraction.
Technique & Style
Executed on heavy paper with thin ink lines, the drawing is characterized by quick, fluid strokes that suggest motion rather than detail. Facial features and costume specifics are omitted, leaving only the essential contours of the bodies. Annotations by the artist appear beneath the image, adding a documentary layer to the sketchy surface.
History & Provenance
The print entered the museum through the Mary Clarke Collection. It passed from the creator to collector Philip Richardson before being acquired by Clarke, who later donated it as part of her bequest. This chain of ownership situates the piece within a documented private collecting tradition.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Seguin-Bertault’s mid-20th-century prints show dancers caught in rehearsal, their bodies angled like folded paper cutouts.
